La June Montgomery Tabron (Tabron_LaJuneMontgomery_wm.jpeg)
La June Montgomery Tabron
CEO, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
March is Women’s History Month
The breakfast cereal mogul Will Keith Kellogg of Battle Creek, Michigan, founded the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in 1930 to invest in the future welfare of children. This is one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. In 2014 La June Montgomery Tabron became the 9th CEO, but she was also the first woman and first Black CEO of the foundation. In her capacity, she oversees about 220 people including those in Haiti and Mexico. In 2024 the foundation distributed an estimated $408 million for programs supporting children, working families, community equity and other charitable purposes. She serves as president of the board of the Western Michigan University Foundation and is a board member of the Bronson Healthcare group.
Tabron worked as an auditor for Plante Moran Wealth Management before she joined the Kellogg Foundation in 1987 as its controller. Before becoming CEO at the Kellogg Foundation, she held other positions there:
- Assistant Vice President for Finance & Assistant Treasurer
- Vice President for Finance
- Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
- Executive Vice President of Operations & Treasurer
A proponent of racial equity, diversity, inclusion and women’s equality, she is quoted as saying, “I always tell women, ‘Don’t allow yourself to be disqualified based on factors that are under your control.’ If you want to grow in your career, show determination and ownership by pursuing continuous learning and development.”
Bio
- Born – October 4, 1962 in Detroit, Michigan
- The ninth of 10 children
- 1984 – Bachelor’s degree in business administration, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Master’s degree in business administration, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
- 1986 – Earned her qualifications to be a certified public accountant
- Honorary doctorates from Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan; Ithaca, College, New York; Marygrove College, Detroit; and Union Institute & University, Cincinnati, Ohio
- 2020 – Recipient of the Bynum Tudor Fellowship at Kellogg College in Oxford, England
Personal
- Married to Avery Tabron
- Four children
- Plays the drums in the family band
- Her husband gave her a portable drum pad so she could play it while traveling
Further information
www.wkkf.org/people/president-ceo
www.axios.com/2024/02/09/lead-like-la-june-montgomery-tabron
stateofblackamerica.org/authors/la-june-montgomery-tabron
My ebooks available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com:
Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists
